HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9.30 pm.

TOP STORIES FGN64 ISRAEL-2NDLD INDIANS Indian nationals in Israel and Gaza safe Jerusalem: There have been no untoward incidents involving Indians living and working in Israel so far amid escalating tensions in the region, even as the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv received requests from its citizens, including tourists, stranded in the country to facilitate their safe exit. By Harinder Mishra NATION DEL46 CONG-CWC Poll strategy, caste census set to dominate CWC meet New Delhi: A caste census and poll strategies are set to dominate the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting here on Monday, with Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram set to be announced soon.

DEL28 DEF-2NDLD AIR CHIEF IAF must be one of best, if not best by time it completes 100 years in 2032: Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari Prayagraj: The Indian Air Force must remain ever vigilant in the face of ''new and emerging threats'', Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said on Sunday even as he asserted that the IAF will continue to protect the nation's territory and deter potential adversaries, in comments that came amid the eastern Ladakh border row.

DEL45 TANZANIA-PRESIDENT-VISIT Tanzanian President Hassan begins 4-day India visit New Delhi: Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Sunday began a four-day visit to India with an aim to bolster bilateral relations.

DEL43 AVI-AIR INDIA-LD ISRAEL Air India cancels Tel Aviv flights till Oct 14 New Delhi: Air India has cancelled its flights to and from Tel Aviv till October 14, and around 14 airline staff have returned from the Israeli city.

CAL24 WB-HAKIM-CBI 'Harassed as I didn't bow before BJP': Bengal minister Firhad Hakim after CBI raid Kolkata: Senior West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim, who was questioned by the CBI after his residence was raided on Sunday, lambasted the BJP for ''employing government agencies to harass him as he didn't bow before the saffron party''.

BOM12 MH-OPPN-SAWANT Deaths at hospitals: Shiv Sena (UBT) and Cong demand resignation of Maharashtra cabinet Mumbai: Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress on Sunday said the Maharashtra cabinet should resign based on the ''confession'' by state health minister Tanaji Sawant on the responsibility regarding the death of patients at two state-run hospitals. MDS6 KA-LD FIRE Bengaluru fire: Most victims were students who were trying to support their education, says CM Siddaramaiah Bengaluru: Most of the 14 persons killed in the cracker shop blaze near here were poor students who worked during the holidays to support their education.

CAL29 WB-GUV-LD MGNREGA Bengal Guv to meet those deprived of MGNREGA work Darjeeling/Kolkata: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Sunday said he will meet those deprived of MGNREGA work as the Centre has stopped funds under the scheme to the state, and take up their grievances with New Delhi.

CAL26 BH-DIPANKAR-BJP CPI (ML) Liberation to launch nationwide protests against 'intimidation of media, opposition' Patna: CPI (ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya on Sunday announced that his party will be holding week-long protests across the country in protest against alleged intimidation of opposition leaders and journalists critical of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

DEL38 MOE-PRADHAN-INTERVIEW-CABE Education body CABE being remodelled, older version really broad: Dharmendra Pradhan New Delhi: The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), the high-powered committee that advises the government on policy decisions about education, is being remodelled as its older version is really broad, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told PTI in an interview. By Gunjan Sharma DEL5 UNICEF CHIEF-INTERVIEW Globally two-thirds of child-related SDGs off-track, India's progress will have huge impact on world: UNICEF chief New Delhi: Two-thirds of child-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are off-track globally and India's progress will be crucial in achieving them, UNICEF chief Catherine M. Russell has said. By Uzmi Athar DES18 TERRITORIAL ARMY-LD RAISING DAY India's Territorial Army inducts Mandarin language experts New Delhi: The Territorial Army has inducted a batch of Mandarin language experts and posted them in forward areas, a step that seeks to enhance linguistic capabilities of the Indian side during border talks with the Chinese army. By Kunal Dutt LEGAL LGD2 SC-AAP MLA-BAD CHARACTER SC to hear AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan's plea against police decision to declare him 'bad character' New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan challenging the Delhi Police's decision to declare him as a ''bad character''.

FOREIGN FGN63 US-ISRAEL-BLINKEN Intense fighting in Gaza area, focus on helping Israel recover territory taken by Hamas: Blinken Washington: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said there is intense fighting going on in the Gaza area and the focus right now is on helping Israel recover the territory that has been taken by Hamas militant group, noting that the issue of intelligence failure would be probed into a bit later. By Lalit K Jha FGN13 US-CASTE-BILL-LD REAX Hindu Parents, Dalit group celebrate veto of California's anti-caste discrimination bill Washington: An organisation representing Hindu parents in California, eminent Indian-Americans and a Dalit advocacy group on Saturday welcomed the decision of California Governor Gavin Newsom to veto the anti-caste discrimination bill, saying it was brought with the sole intention of ''stereotyping the community''. By Lalit K Jha